Walmart Buys 4,500 Electric Vehicles From Canoo, Will Use Them for Last-Mile Deliveries

Canoo just announced that Walmart has agreed to purchase 4,500 of its electric delivery vehicles, beginning with the LDV (lifestyle delivery vehicle), with the option to eventually buy up to 10,000 units. These all-electric vehicles will be used by Walmart for the delivery of its online orders, from groceries to general merchandise.

The recently signed agreement is part of Walmart's plan to become emissions-free by 2040. Walmart’s goal is to expand its last-mile delivery fleet in a sustainable way and to provide customers and Walmart+ members with more access to same-day deliveries while keeping costs low, as explained by David Guggina, Walmart's U.S. senior vice president of innovation and automation.

Canoo’s safe and ergonomic EVs will be driven by Walmart associates and might also be used for Walmart GoLocal, the company’s delivery-as-a-service business.

The retail corporation boasts of being able to reach 80 percent of the U.S. population with same-day delivery on a growing assortment of items.

Canoo’s Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle is made on American soil and it’s optimized for sustainable last mile delivery applications. Just like all the manufacturer’s models, the LDV is also built on Canoo’s proprietary, multi-purpose platform architecture that integrates the motors, battery module, and other driving components. The vehicle uses true steer by wire technology, which reduces moving parts and cabin intrusion, and features a panoramic window for enhanced road visibility.

The LDV is a two-seater with a payload capacity of 1,464 lb (664 kg) and an 80 kWh battery. It boasts a range of 200 miles (321 km) per charge.

Canoo says that its LDV should hit the road next year but companies are already planning to kick off deliveries in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex in the coming weeks, to refine and finalize vehicle configuration.